1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device providing means for the remote removal of an implantable article. The device permits the removal of an implanted article from within the abdominal cavity without the necessity of major surgery.
2. Reference to Co-pending Patent Applications
Reference is made to co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 07/562,391, filed Aug. 3, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,868 entitled Reversible Stoma Adjustable Gastric Band naming Lubomyr I. Kuzmak as the inventor and having a common assignee with the present application.
3. Description of the Prior Art
The need for the current invention is readily understood by discussing an exemplary implantable article such as a gastric band. Morbid obesity is a condition that is associated with a multitude of other hazards to health that include socio-psychologic problems and reduced life expectancy. Dietary management of morbid obesity has not been successful as a long term treatment. Psychiatric or dietary regimens depend upon the willpower of the patient to achieve the desired results. While weight loss may occur, the lack of willpower in patients often leads to ultimate failure. In response to the failure of dietary management, various surgical techniques have been developed and used to try to treat morbid obesity.
A promising method of treating morbid obesity employs the placement of a band around a portion of the stomach thereby compressing the stomach and creating a stoma opening that is less than the normal interior diameter of the stomach for restricting food intake into the lower digestive portion of the stomach. Such a band has been described by Kuzmak et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,339. It comprises a substantially non-extensible belt-like strap which constrictively encircles the outside of the stomach thereby preventing the stoma opening from expanding. Kuzmak et al also describe bands which include a balloon-like section that is expandable and deflatable through a remote injection site. The balloon-like expandable section is used to adjust the size of the stoma opening both intraoperatively and post-operatively. Such a device is referred to as a stoma-adjustable gastric band.
Complications have been observed with both inflatable and non-inflatable gastric bands. In particular, obstruction of the stoma from edema and migration of the band has been observed. Such edema-caused obstruction of the stoma may be due to excessive vomiting. In these cases, the stoma must be enlarged either by deflating the expandable portion of a band or by removing the band altogether.
It is desirable to provide a gastric banding device with means thereon for removal of the band without the necessity for major surgery. An implantable device with such means for removal is referred to hereinafter as a reversible implantable device. Kuzmak, in pending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 07/562,391 filed Aug. 3, 1990 the contents of which are incorporated herein by references, describes a reversing mechanism for removal of an implantable gastric band comprising a wire actuated blade which severs the retaining sutures. The moveable blade slides in a track within the band in response to traction on the actuating (releasing) wire thereby severing retaining sutures in its path. The assembly is expensive to build and requires great traction (with great resulting stress on the wire) to slide the blade, guillotine fashion, in its track. A simpler mechanism requiring minimal tension to actuate is desirable.